PUBLIC NOTICES LA RONGE

NEWS & EVENTS

At 10:00 a.m. on January 22nd, 2015, the results of the January 21st By-Election were announced in the Town of La Ronge Council Chambers by Chief Administrative Officer and Returning Officer, Victoria MacDonald. The following is a summary of the results, the official Declaration of Results can be viewed at the Town Office and can be viewed online HERE.

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that provision has been made for (an) advance poll(s) for electors who:

1 are physically disabled;

2 have been appointed as election officials; or

3 anticipate being unable to vote on the day of election.

Voting will take place on:

Tuesday, January 6, 2015 and

Wednesday January 14, 2015

between the hours of 12:00 P.M. (Noon) and 5:00 P.M. at the

Town of La Ronge

Council Chambers

1212 Hildebrand Drive

La Ronge, SK

Section 76.2 of The Local Government Election Act requires voters to provide the Deputy Returning Officer and Poll Clerk with valid identification proving both identity and residence. To learn more about acceptable voter identification options contact the Town of La Ronge during regular office hours or visit:

3.I will declare the result of the election at the Town of La Ronge Office

on the 22nd day of January, 2015 , at the hour of 10:00 A.M.

POLLING AREA NO.

POLLING PLACE

ADDRESS

1.

TOWN OF LA RONGE COUNCIL CHAMBERS

1212 HILDEBRAND DRIVE

Section 76.2 of The Local Government Election Act requires voters to provide the Deputy Returning Officer and Poll Clerk with valid identification proving both identity and residence. To learn more about acceptable voter identification options contact the Town of La Ronge during regular office hours or visit:

Beginning January 1, 2015, utility rates for the Town of La Ronge will take the first step of a five year adjustment plan, put in place to help curb the substantial deficit that the Water & Sewer Department incurs on a regular basis. The proposed amendments to the current Water Rates and Sewer Service Charges Bylaws were accepted by the La Ronge Town Council in late September however it required Saskatchewan Municipal Board approval to come into effect. The recently approved rate adjustments will see an increase of thirty percent per year into 2018, after which the increase will be reduced to fifteen percent in 2019.

Mayor Sierzycki says that this is an example of the difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions that Council members are called on to make with the best interest of the community in mind, "With an average operating loss of over three hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars [$385K] annually in that department alone, residential taxes have been used to subsidize the operations". The utility services are anticipated to break even in 2019. Until that time the general tax revenues will continue to subsidize the operating loss at an increasingly reduced amount each year.

Subsidizing municipal services is a common practice and a widely expected function of government as means to keep rates manageable and services available to citizens. However, with the growing infrastructure deficit that has been identified throughout the province, the Saskatchewan Municipal Board (SMB) has made it known that municipalities should have revenue generated by the utility sufficient enough to offset all expenditures. "When tax payers ask where their money has gone over the last number of years and why some of the older infrastructure has not yet been replaced, these are the numbers that speak for themselves," Sierzycki states adding, "We can�t take for granted the infrastructure network that lies beneath the ground. The funds that have gone into subsidizing the operating loss will be put towards maintenance and upgrades for our water distribution and waste water treatment systems." In the letter of confirmation from the SMB, the Local Government Committee commended Council on the plan for a utility reserve and reserving the future utility surplus for future capital works.

By making these adjustments now and looking into alternatives such as water meters and building regular reviews into procedures, the Town expects to avoid the need for increases like this in the future. Residents are encouraged to visit the Town website (www.laronge.ca) for full details on the changes, available under the Bylaws tab in the Town Hall menu.

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations of candidates for the office(s) of:

Councillor:NORTHERN TOWN OF LA RONGE

Number to be elected: One (1)

will be received by the undersigned on the17th day of December, 2014,

from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm, at the Town of La Ronge Town Office, and

during regular business hours beginning onDecember 1st, 2014

through to December 16th, 2014 at the Town of La Ronge Town Office.

Nomination forms may be obtained at the following location:

1.Town Office

Note:Bylaw No. 527/12 of the Town of La Ronge requires that a Criminal Record Check from the local police service must be attached to the nomination paper and submitted in Form B.1. The Criminal Record Check must have been completed not more than 30 days before the date of submission.